The present invention relates to a catalytically active unit or entity, said unit or entity comprising a support material (synonymously also called “backing material”) comprising catalytically active polymeric particles, particularly nanoparticles, and to the use thereof, particularly for civil and military application, for example in the sector of NBC protection, of air purification, of filter applications and the like. The present invention further relates to protective materials of any kind which are produced using the catalytically active unit of the present invention. The present invention finally relates to filters and filtering materials produced using, or comprising, the catalytically active unit of the present invention.